Claire Gilman

Finbarre Snarey
Finbarre Snarey
Portrait of Claire Gilman, Acquavella Curator at the Morgan Library & Museum, wearing a navy blouse against a pale stone background.

How does a 15th-century Italian parlor game become a muse for modern fine art?

In the latest Tarot DMs, Finbarre chats with Claire Gilman (Acquavella Curator at the Morgan Library & Museum) about their packed NYC exhibition, Tarot! Renaissance Symbols, Modern Visions.

We discuss:

  • Pamela Colman Smith’s hidden suffragette nods.
  • Chris Ofili linking the Major Arcana to Trinidadian carnival, and Dorothy Iannone’s delightfully "naughty" custom deck.
  • Drawing the Eight of Swords to explore how tight budgets and space sharpen curatorial vision.

"Artists are drawn to tarot because it has this art-historical lineage... but its symbolism is open-ended enough to speak to contemporary issues."

Read the full conversation on Tarot DMs